Motor-vehicle.



No. 645,497. Patented Mar. I3, 1900;

H. sToMMEL.

MUTUR VEHICLE.

- (Application led Aug. 5, 1888. Renewed Aug. 22, 1899.)

(NoY Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet `l,

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No. 645,497. Patented Mar. I3, IQD.

H. STONIMEL.`

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application Mad Aug. 5, 1898. Renewed Aug. 22, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(Na'un'del.)

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' motor-vehicles or horseless wagons.

'improved motor vehicle or Wagon.

UNITED STATES PATENT Erica HUGO STOMMEL, OF `PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES STANDARD MOTOR VEHICLE COMPANY, OF NEWJERSEY.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,497, dated March13, 1900. Application filed August 5,1898. Renewed August 22, 1899.Serial No. 728,134. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern Beit known that I, HUeo STOMMEL, a citien ofthe United States, residing at Plainiield, in the county of Somerset andState of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in As is well known, in vehicles ofthis class much inconvenience has been experienced in finding the properposition or place for placing the machinery-the engine or thegearing-and in most cases it was found necessary to place them under thebody of the wagon. In many cases the bodies of the wagons are so lowthat it is hard to adjust the machinery, and it could not be properlyexamined, repaired, cleaned, or oiled when required. Furthermore, dust,sand, dto., settled in the mechanisms and prevented the proper workingof the same. Another great inconvenience, and perhaps the worst, is thatthe operator is unable to observe the engine when placed under thewagon.

To overcome these objections is the object of my invention and to applyit easily to old wagons, no matter what their form and without makingchanges on the same; also, to obviate unnecessary friction and loss ofpower, and, finally, to have the engine and machinery in plain sight andeasy of access.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction of details and thenovel arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described hereinafterand specifically pointed out in the claims, reference being had tothevaccompanying drawings and the letters thereon.

Like letters indicate similar parts in the different figures of thedrawings, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation of the Fig. 2is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of part of thefront platform, partly in section, showing certain details. Figs. 4, 5,G, and 7 are details of the operating mechanism.

In the drawings, A is the main frame or body and having the front axle Band the rear axle C attached to it. These axles are connected by alongitudinal bar C', which at the front end has an'eye or hinge joint,so that the front axle and wheels can move at an angle. The front axleis made in tWo parts and at the center 1s supported in the bracket b,secured to the frame. Above the front axle 'is journaled a counter-shaftE, supported in friction-roller bearings in the brackets b b' b. Thiscounter-shaft E is provided with a 1ongitudinal groove e, in which aflat steel rod E' can slide. This rod is provided with threeprojections'h h h and at its one end has a pin With friction-roller c'.This pin and roller can freely revolve in the shifter, provided with anenlarged bore to allow said rod, with pin and roller, to revolve. Theshifter is stationary and is connected by a rack k, movable in guides onthe bracket The rack meshes with a gear-wheel l, secured to a verticalshaft or pillar S, extending upward above the platform, and is providedwith a handlever m with a projection that engages with a notch in thedisk m' to keep it in place.

The counter shaft E carries the driving gear-wheeler a a" a'", and eachof these gears has secured to it a spring friction -clutch. Theseconsist of a hollow drum, attached to the gears, and a collar H, securedto the shaft. In this drum are placed two dogs g g in a notch on thecircular spring G, that is cut at one side. The drum acts the same as aloose pulley on the shaft E. The collar has at its upper side a slidingpiece F, that extends into the groove in the shaft and rests on thesteel rod E'. Said piece F is provided with two notches, against whichthe dogs g g brace themselves and act against the spring h, and whenacted on by either of the projections 71, h h" is brought into action.By moving the rod With the projection h between the piece F and theshaft E said piece will be pushed outward and the dogs will act (similarto a toggle-joint) with great force upon the spring and connect it bymeans of frictional contact to thel inner side of the drum, which, beingconnected to the driving-gear d', will drive the gear-wheel f on theaxle B. By continu- .ing to push the rod between the next respectiveclutch it will be acted on in a similar manner, and as the gears are ofdifferent sizes of pinions and wheels the speed will be changed. Bypulling the steel rod backward IOC until the projection 71 acts on theWheel a'" the motion of the vehicle will be reversedby reversing themotion of the motive power.

' Close to the hubs of the front Wheels are attached the compensatingclutches D D, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. These consist of an eccentricc, inclosed in the hollow drum D, fastened to the hubs of said Wheelsand the steel antifriction-roller r. In turning corners the steel rollerin the outer Wheel will fall back and will permit the Wheel to runahead,

and when the Wagon resumes a straight course both of the rollers Willbecome clamped between the eccentric and the inner side of the drum, andthe Wheel will revolve again.

Close above the front axle is placed the circular fifth-Wheel I, whichis secured in lugs on the brackets b b". The fifth-wheel is stationaryand is made of dat iron. It is provided With internal gear-teeth, WithWhich the gear- Wheel t' meshes. This vvheelt is operated by a shaft K,to which it is secured. Said shaft passes through the hollow shaft orpillar S and is provided at its upper end With a Wheel or disk s,havinga notch or hole, with Which a pin or projection on a hand-lever 7cengages, and it is manipulated by it, andthe vehicle is thus steered orguided, as desired. The motive power, preferably a gas-engine M, isplaced on the front platform, and the gear d imparts motion to the Wheeld on the counter-shaft,and thus to the Wheels a a a" am on thecountershaft, and imparts motion to front axle, as desired.

Close to the central bracket b a flanged drum t is secured to the frontaxle, and around it Iits a steel band p, with eyes at each of its lowerends, by which it is attached to a pivoted lever N, that is attachedwith one end to an arm or lug 'n on the bracket b, While the other endof said lever is connected to avertical rod o, extending above theplatform, and can be manipulated by the driver, as desired, to act as abrake.

The gasolene or other motive agent can be placed under the seat of thedriver or wherever else desired. A supply of Water can also Y be carriedin the extensions on each side of the vehicle.

It Will be readily seen that the engine and all the operating parts ofthis vehicle are arranged over the front axle and can bereadilymanipulated by the driver or operator; also, that it is all in plainsight and under his snpervision, as Well as easily accessible foroiling, repairing, or other neededrequirements.

It can be produced at a moderate expense, and the cost of its operationis much less than required with horses. f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. Inmotor-vehicles, the combination of a counter-shaft having friction-drumgears for varying the speed by a shifter as described, with acompensating clutch consisting of a drum and eccentric with afriction-roller, all arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

, 2. In motor-vehicles the counter-shaft E,

provided with the gear-wheels a.,a,a", having i friction-drums, in whichare placed circular springs G, that are voperated by a sliding piece Fand pivoted dogs g, g and by means of a sliding rod E', havingprojections 72 7L', h", in combination with a gear-Wheel a'" and aprojection 7i!" for reversing the action of the vehicle, as specified.3. In motor-vehicles, a friction-cla tch con sisting of a drumcontaining a spring that is acted on by a collar secured to the shaft,and provided with a sliding piece actuating the pivoted dogs againstsaid spring and operated 'as a toggle-joint in the manner shown andspecified. l

.4. In motor-vehicles, the combination of a front axle with acounter-shaft provided With friction-drum gears, meshing With gears onsaid axle, and operated by a sliding shifter, having projections,incombination with a sliding piece in a collar secured to the shaft andprovided With dogs and a spring, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a fifth-Wheel and a gearmeshing therewith and operated by a handle with catch on a verticalshaft, with the compensating clutch, consisting of a drum containing aneccentric and friction-roller,all arranged as shown and speci-v tied.

6. The motor-vehicle described, consisting of an engine, connected bygearing to a counter-shaft, having friction-drum gears, the front axlehaving Wheels, provided with compensating clutch lconsisting of a drumconi taining an eccentric and friction-roller, in combination with aiifth-Wheel and gear, all

arranged and operated as shown and set forth. In testimony whereof Iaiiix my signature A in presence of two Witnesses.

HUGO STOMMEL. XVitliesses: K

GEO. W. LINKINs, JAMES M, WooDWARD.

